Water flushing device notably for lavatory pan and resulting lavatory pan and water flushing device assembly

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a water flushing device ( 5 ) for lavatory pan ( 3 ), provided with a tank ( 7 ) able to contain water intended to be evacuated at least partly toward the pan ( 3 ) as water flush, characterized in that it comprises a rotating vessel mounted to rotate in the tank ( 7 ) and able to be filled at least with a determined quantity of water, in an out-of-service position, and to be rotated in service by an operating handle ( 17 ) securely attached to the rotating vessel and mounted passing into the tank ( 7 ), in order to evacuate water into the tank as water flush for the pan ( 3 ).

The invention relates to a water flushing device notably for lavatorypan and the resulting lavatory pan and water flushing device assembly.

Water flushing devices based on a bung or valve that use a seal to closethe opening of the water flushing duct from the tank to the lavatory panare known. These systems are subject to scaling that affects the openingseal or to particles in the water hampering the closure of themechanism. Consequently, they are subject to water leaks that are noteasily visible and may be significant and costly.

Also known are water flushing devices with a rotating vessel mounted torotate in a tank and able to be filled at least with a determinedquantity of water, in a waiting or out-of-service position, and to berotated in service in order to evacuate water into the tank as waterflush for the pan.

There is a need for a better control of the quantity of water evacuated.

There is proposed a water flushing device for lavatory pan, providedwith a tank able to contain water intended to be evacuated at leastpartly toward the pan as water flush, characterized in that it comprisesa rotating vessel mounted to rotate in the tank and able to be filled atleast with a determined quantity of water, in a waiting orout-of-service position, and to be rotated in service by an operatinghandle in order to evacuate water into the tank as water flush for thepan, said operating handle being securely mounted on the vessel, at adistance from the rotation axis of the vessel and mounted passing into awall of the tank through a groove formed in said wall of the tank.

This groove may advantageously have a length that corresponds to arotation of the vessel that is sufficient to empty this vessel.

With the operating handle thus being off-centred from the rotation axisof the vessel, it makes it possible to act with a lever effect on therotation of the vessel to adjust the operation to the quantity of waterneeded to evacuate the waste in the pan.

The vessel can be rotated by a variable angle, visually represented by amarking system and corresponding to a variable quantity of water pouredout according to the water flushing need in the pan.

This relatively simple device thus allows for a better control of thequantity of water evacuated, thus making it possible to save on water.

With this device, advantageously without transformation of movementbetween the handle and the tank, the user can relatively easily assessand control the quantity of water evacuated. Furthermore, because of thesimplicity of the device, and in particular the absence of anyconnecting rod/hand crank or rack-and-pinion drive type system totransform the movement, any deterioration of these systems is avoided.

In an advantageous and nonlimiting manner, the operating handle ismounted passing into a top or side wall of the tank through arectilinear groove, thus making it possible to avoid the presence of thehandle in the back of the user when said user is seated. In particular,a handle situated in a top wall can offer relatively easy access.

Alternatively, the operating handle is mounted passing into a front wallof the tank through a circular groove, thus offering a relativelyfriendly user interface.

The tank and the vessel may each comprise at least one wall or part ofwall facing one another, which is translucent and possibly coloured,making it possible to view the level of water in the vessel and/or theeffect of water falling from the vessel into the tank, when the vesselis rotated. The angle of the rotation operation on the vessel can thusbe adjusted by sight to the quantity of water that is necessary andsufficient to evacuate the waste in the pan.

Furthermore, the bottom of the tank may advantageously be flared atleast on the side of the water drop intended to direct this water droptoward the part of the pan to be cleaned. In practice, with aflat-bottomed tank, at the end of draining of the tank, a small quantityof water is poured at low speed. The use of a flared bottom,advantageously flared from the side walls to the evacuation duct, makesit possible to avoid the evacuation of this small quantity of water withlow speed and therefore little waste entrainment effect. Thus, for agiven quantity of water, a device with flared bottom makes it possibleto maximize the effect of separation and evacuation of the waste fromthe pan.

The determined quantity of water for filling the tank (advantageouslygreater than at least 7 litres) can be obtained conventionally by anarrangement of a pipe and of a water supply cock and valve able to beactuated by a float element in the vessel, the cock and valve being ableto close the supply as soon as the float element has reached therequired water level.

Preferably and in a nonlimiting manner, the groove and the handle arearranged so as to impose a direction of rotation to evacuate the watercontained in the vessel. Thus, to evacuate the water, the rotatingvessel rotates only in a single direction of rotation, unlike said watersupply cock, valve and float arrangement, it being prevented fromrotating in the opposite direction by a suitable end stop.

Alternatively, a groove could be provided extending on either side of anout-of-service position of the handle, so that the user can choose adirection of rotation for the evacuation of the water.

The operating handle may be mounted firmly attached to the vessel(passing into the tank) by a suitable groove (for example inarc-of-circle form and of length corresponding to a rotational travel ofthe vessel that is sufficient to empty the vessel) formed in the wall ofthe tank and it is only the pouring of water into the tank by rotationof the vessel which creates the water flush in the lavatory pan,therefore without seal or valve or any other mechanism for closing theopening of the water flush duct between the tank and the pan.

The water flushing device may include an adjustable end stop fixed tothe guide groove of the handle.

A ball race can advantageously be provided so as to ensure a rotation ofthe rotating vessel with relatively little friction. The user can thusrotate the vessel relatively easily.

The invention also relates to the lavatory pan and WC water flushingdevice assembly as defined previously.

The invention is described hereinbelow with the help of an exemplarynonlimiting embodiment and with reference to the appended drawing inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary lavatory pan and a WC waterflushing device according to one embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of this assembly, inout-of-service position shown by solid line and in in-service positionshown by chain-dotted line.

With reference to the drawing and therefore to FIGS. 1 and 2, anexemplary WC assembly 1 according to an embodiment of the inventioncomprises a pan 3 and a water flushing device 5.

The water flushing device 5 comprises a tank 7 linked to the pan 3 bymeans of a duct 9 through which the flush water flows into the pan. Thistank 7 is positioned adjoining and slightly above the pan 3, being fixedto a rear portion supporting the pan or to a near wall of the toilet. Itmay have a generally parallelepipedal shape with parallel front 7 a andrear 7 b faces, flared sides 7 c that may be truncated.

In an alternative embodiment (not illustrated), the flared sides extendas far as the duct, thus making it possible to avoid pouring water withlow speed at the end of evacuation.

The water flushing device 5 is sealed with a top lid 7 d, by virtue ofwhich it can be opened to allow internal access to it. It houses avessel 11 of generally hemi-cylindrical shape mounted to rotate in thelatter via two bearings fixed to the front 7 a and rear 7 b parallelwalls of the tank. Only the axis of the bearings is represented. Thisvessel has two parallel walls each positioned close respectively to oneof the front 7 a and rear 7 b walls of the tank 7, a cutout 13 forming awater overflow 15 and delimited on its cylindrical periphery wall in itstop part, and an operating handle 17, remote from its rotation axis andmounted passing into the front wall 7 a of the tank 7 through a topcircular groove 7 e.

In an alternative embodiment that is not represented, the top circulargroove may have a length greater than that of the top circular groove 7e, so as to allow the vessel to be completely drained.

The operating handle 17 may be a rod with handle outside the tank, whichextends substantially parallel to the rotation axis of the vessel.

The vessel 11 is topped with a water inlet 19 in its top part, throughwhich it can be filled with water, approximately 10 litres of water.This water inlet comprises a water inlet pipe 19 a mounted passing intothe tank 7 on the side of the latter and arranged above the overflowvoid 13 of the vessel, and a gate valve 19 b and float 19 c assemblycontrolling the valve of the gate valve. This assembly is arranged atthe end of the water inlet pipe 19 a and is intended to maintain aconstant water level in the vessel 11, by opening or closing the valveof the gate valve 19 b supplying the vessel with water.

The rotation axis of the vessel 11 is located at a short distance fromthe water level 21 to be maintained in the vessel 11, so that it isarranged largely above the centre of gravity G of the vessel filled withwater. The latter therefore remains in a stable position in the tank andonly the operation of the handle 17 enables the latter to rotate to pourwater into the tank 7 (see the service position indicated bychain-dotted line), which is accumulated at the bottom of the tank 7 andis then routed via the duct 9 into the pan 3 by water flush. For a waterevacuation operation, the vessel 11 can rotate only in a single rotationdirection (in the negative direction according to the arrow), thepositive direction being prevented by the abutment of the handle 17 inthe lower bottom of the groove 7 e.

The vessel 11 can be rotated to a variable angle, corresponding to theoperation of the handle 17 as for as a given marking 7 f (for examplefrom 1 to 7) of the groove 7 e to evacuate into the tank a correspondingvariable quantity of water 15, for example from 1 to 7 litres, andobtain a variable water flushing effect depending on the quantity ofwaste to be evacuated in the lavatory pan 3.

The operation of the device is particularly simple and immediatelyemerges from the preceding description. A person who has finished hisbusiness in the pan 3 rotates the operating handle 17 as far as thedesired mark 7 f corresponding to a water flushing effect that is usefulto perfectly evacuate the residues in the pan, and if the flush isinsufficient, he can actuate the handle 17 again to a greater angle ofrotation of the vessel 11, to a higher mark 7 f to evacuate anotherquantity of water 15 complementing the first water flushing effect. Whenhe releases the handle 17, the latter returns to the bottom of thegroove 7 e by the natural return of the vessel to its original position,if necessary by a spring means (not represented) returning it to thisposition. The vessel 11 immediately reverts to its first position whereit can once again be filled with water by said gate valve 19 b and float19 c assembly brought into action by the lowering of the water level inthe vessel. The vessel is filled once again with water to the permittedhigh level. The device is then ready for a new flush of water into thepan.

Since the rotating vessel is mounted at a certain distance from the duct9, the water falls into the pan 3 with a certain speed, thus allowingfor a good evacuation of the waste.

Variant embodiments can be envisaged in the context of the invention.

The operating handle 17 operated in arc-of-circle on the front face 7 aof the tank can also be operated through a groove in the wall of thetank, for example a groove in the lid (not necessarily circular) and agroove in the front wall 7 a of the tank or even through a groove injust one of these parts.

Furthermore, the rotational travel of the operating handle can belimited by an adjustable end stop (not represented) fixed to the guidegroove 7 e of the handle.

Finally, the front wall 7 a of the tank or a portion of the latter andpossibly the front wall of the vessel, may be transparent ortranslucent. It is then possible to see the water level in the vessel,the vessel, the rotation of the vessel and/or the effect of waterfalling from the vessel into the tank.

A translucent wall may make it possible to conceal any scale deposits.

A transparent wall may allow a better view, in particular of the waterlevel.

These translucent or transparent walls may possibly be coloured.

The invention thus provides a novel water flushing device for lavatorypan that is particularly simple and reliable.

1. A water flushing device for lavatory pan, provided with a tank ableto contain water intended to be evacuated at least partly toward the panas water flush, comprising a rotating vessel mounted to rotate in thetank and able to be filled at least with a determined quantity of water,in a waiting or out-of-service position, and to be rotated in service byan operating handle in order to evacuate water into the tank as waterflush for the pan, said operating handle being securely mounted on thevessel, at a distance from the rotation axis of the vessel and mountedpassing into a wall of the tank through a groove formed in said wall ofthe tank.
 2. The water flushing device for lavatory pan according toclaim 1, wherein the operating handle is mounted to pass into a frontwall of the tank through a circular groove.
 3. The water flushing devicefor lavatory pan according to claim 2, wherein the vessel is able to berotated by a variable angle, visually represented by a marking systemand corresponding to a variable quantity of water poured out accordingto the water flushing need in the pan.
 4. The water flushing device forlavatory pan according to claim 1, comprising an arrangement of a pipeand of a water supply cock and valve able to be actuated by a floatelement in the vessel, the cock and valve being able to close the supplyas soon as the float element has reached the required water level. 5.The water flushing device for lavatory pan according to claim 1,comprising a vessel of generally hemi-cylindrical shape mounted torotate in the tank via two bearings fixed to its front and rear parallelwalls, the vessel also comprising two parallel walls each positionedclose to one of the front and rear walls of the tank, a cutout forming awater overflow delimited on its top cylindrical periphery wall and anoperating handle mounted passing into the front wall of the tank througha top circular groove.
 6. The water flushing device for lavatory panaccording to claim 1 further comprising an adjustable end stop fixed tothe guide groove of the handle.
 7. The water flushing device forlavatory pan according to claim 1, wherein the operating handle ismounted passing into a top wall of the tank through a rectilineargroove.
 8. The water flushing device for lavatory pan according to claim1, wherein the tank and the vessel each comprise at least one wall orpart of wall facing one another, which is translucent, making itpossible to view the vessel, the water level in the vessel and/or theeffect of water falling from the vessel into the tank, when the vesselis rotated.
 9. The water flushing device for lavatory pan according toclaim 5, wherein the bottom of the tank is flared at least on the sideof the water drop intended to direct this water drop toward the part ofthe pan to be cleaned.
 10. A lavatory pan and water flushing deviceassembly comprising the water flushing device according to claim
 1. 11.The water flushing device for lavatory pan according to claim 2, furthercomprising an adjustable end stop fixed to the guide groove of thehandle.
 12. The water flushing device for lavatory pan according toclaim 3, further comprising an adjustable end stop fixed to the guidegroove of the handle.
 13. The water flushing device for lavatory panaccording to claim 7, further comprising an adjustable end stop fixed tothe guide groove of the handle.
 14. The water flushing device forlavatory pan according to claim 7, wherein the vessel is able to berotated by a variable angle, visually represented by a marking systemand corresponding to a variable quantity of water poured out accordingto the water flushing need in the pan.
 15. The water flushing device forlavatory pan according to claim 14, further comprising an adjustable endstop fixed to the guide groove of the handle.
 16. The water flushingdevice for lavatory pan according to claim 1, wherein the vessel is ableto be rotated by a variable angle, visually represented by a markingsystem and corresponding to a variable quantity of water poured outaccording to the water flushing need in the pan.
 17. The water flushingdevice for lavatory pan according to claim 6, wherein the vessel is ableto be rotated by a variable angle, visually represented by a markingsystem and corresponding to a variable quantity of water poured outaccording to the water flushing need in the pan.
 18. The water flushingdevice for lavatory pan according to claim 9, wherein the tank and thevessel each comprise at least one wall or part of wall facing oneanother, which is translucent, making it possible to view the vessel,the water level in the vessel and/or the effect of water falling fromthe vessel into the tank, when the vessel is rotated.
 19. The waterflushing device for lavatory pan according to claim 1, wherein thebottom of the tank is flared at least on the side of the water dropintended to direct this water drop toward the part of the pan to becleaned.
 20. The water flushing device for lavatory pan according toclaim 5, wherein the tank and the vessel each comprise at least one wallor part of wall facing one another, which is translucent, making itpossible to view the vessel, the water level in the vessel and/or theeffect of water falling from the vessel into the tank, when the vesselis rotated.